NHL Prospect Watch: Vancouver Canucks

Ahead of the 2024-25 hockey season, we’re diving into the WHL prospect pool for each of the NHL’s 32 teams. Throughout the series, we’ll highlight WHLers who have been signed to an NHL contract, were recently drafted, or are included in the NHL’s definition of a rookie.

Today, we head to the west coast to check in with a pod of prospective Canucks. 

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Parker Alcos

Defenceman Parker Alcos rode a strong rookie season all the way to the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, where Vancouver snapped him up in the sixth round. A 6-foot-3, 180-pound blueliner, Alcos netted a goal and 15 points in 67 games with the Edmonton Oil Kings. The 18-year-old snagged his first WHL goal on January 1 and finished second in assists among Oil Kings rookies, though he largely assumed a shutdown defensive role with the club. A Port Moody, B.C. product, Alcos is the first modern Oil Kings player to be drafted by Vancouver. Alcos’ size, speed and mobility have set him up for a promising sophomore season with Edmonton primed to take a step forward in the standings.

Introducing BC's own, Parker Alcos! pic.twitter.com/JNBDOhhvPK

— Vancouver Canucks (@Canucks) June 29, 2024

Arshdeep Bains

Former Red Deer Rebels forward Arshdeep Bains was at the center of one of the feel-good stories of the NHL season as he became one of only a handful of Punjabi players to crack hockey’s top league. The 23-year-old made his NHL debut on February 20 and ended up suiting up for eight games over two stints with the big club this year. In his second professional season with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks, Bains racked up 16 goals and 39 assists for 55 points and a +18 rating and 59 games, leading the team in assists and plus/minus and finishing second in points. The Surrey, B.C. product registered five games with three or more points- highlighted by a goal and three assists in the season-opener against Laval- and led Abbotsford in postseason scoring with two goals and two assists in six appearances as they advanced to the Pacific Division Semifinals. He was also named the AHL All-Star Challenge MVP. Undrafted at the WHL and NHL level, Bains has a track record of earning his roster spots. He captured the WHL’s Bob Clarke Trophy in 2022 as the league’s top scorer with a massive 43-goal, 69-assist season with Red Deer.

The full quote from Rick Tocchet on Arshdeep Bains play over the 3 games with the #Canucks pic.twitter.com/7jnq9qFt4O

— Randip Janda (@RandipJanda) February 25, 2024

Sawyer Mynio

Seattle Thunderbirds alternate captain Sawyer Mynio is trending up after the Canucks selected him in the third round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. The 6-foot-1, 181-pound defender inked his entry-level contract with the quad in September and erupted for 16 goals (including a team-leading 11 powerplay tallies) and 37 assists for 53 points in 63 games. He also led the team with five game-winning goals and 37 assists and finished second in points. Mynio, from Kamloops, B.C., set a new career high with a one-goal, four-assist outing against the Victoria Royals in December and snagged a berth on the WHL U.S. Division Second All-Star Team. He was rewarded with a call-up to Abbotsford, where he made his pro debut against the Calgary Wranglers in April. The 2023 WHL Champion also earned an invitation to Hockey Canada’s National Junior Team Summer Showcase- the first step toward representing his country at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Sawyer Mynio got ALL of this one 💥@SeattleTbirds | @Canucks | #Canucks pic.twitter.com/vPcTjSRP2r

— The WHL (@TheWHL) February 5, 2024

Tristen Nielsen

Winger Tristen Nielsen entered his third AHL season with a fresh new two-year, entry-level deal with the Canucks after previously earning AHL deals as an undrafted free agent. The 24-year-old picked up a career-best 16 goals and 19 assists for 35 points in 59 matches with Abbotsford this season, finishing second on the squad with five game-winning goals and tying for fourth in total goals. A 5-foot-10, 185-pound left winger, Nielsen notched his second professional hat trick against Laval in the second tilt of the 2023-24 season and tacked on five other multi-point outings. He also led the Canucks with four postseason assists in six matches. The Fort St. John, B.C. product piled up 82 goals and 93 assists for 175 points in 241 WHL games with the Calgary Hitmen and Vancouver Giants and helped the Giants to a Western Conference Championship in 2019.

It's impossible not to recognize this pair on National Rescue Dog Day🐾

The Heart & Soul Dog and Cat Rescue Society brought some furry friends to the @abbycanucks' Top Dogs game and it was a perfect match for Tristen Nielsen, who adopted Oakley a few days later. pic.twitter.com/UmZXb0I2Qw

— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) May 20, 2024

Jiri Patera

Welcome to the prospect pool, Jiri Patera! The Czech netminder put pen to paper on a two-year, two-way deal with the Canucks in July after four seasons in the Vegas Golden Knights system. The 6-foot-2, 209-pound goalie went 1-3-1 in six appearances with a 3.98 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage- though it’s worth noting he faced 35 or more shots in all of his five starts. With the AHL’s Henderson Silver Knights, Patera posted an 11-10-4 record with a 2.99 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage. The 25-year-old previously helped Czechia win gold at the 2016 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament (now known as the Hlinka Gretzky Cup). A sixth-round pick of the Golden Knights in 2019, Patera went 46-32-5-4 in two seasons with the Brandon Wheat Kings, putting up a 2.55 goals-against average, a .921 save percentage and six shutouts, picking up East Division First Team All-Star honours in 2020.

JIRI PATERA: GOALIE AND CIRQUE DU SOLEIL ACROBAT!!!! pic.twitter.com/JF1sPMg0jg

— Henderson Silver Knights (@HSKnights) February 18, 2024

Jett Woo

A breakout season helped Woo snag a one-year, two-way contract with the Canucks, though his career year was shortened by injury in early April. Woo accrued a career-best seven goals (including two game-winners) and 24 assists for 31 points in 62 games. The 6-foot, 199-pound blueliner led the team in penalty minutes (93) while finishing sixth in assists and eighth in points among all Abbotsford skaters and playing a key role on special teams. The 24-year-old Winnipegger earned a pair of mid-season callups and though he didn’t make his NHL debut, the practice time with the Canucks proved to be a strong learning experience. Woo, a 2018 second-round pick, played parts of four seasons with the Moose Jaw Warriors before closing out his WHL career with the Calgary Hitmen, tallying 33 goals and 127 assists for 160 points and a +60 rating in 242 regular-season tilts.

and just like that…

JETT WOO CALLS GAME 🚨 pic.twitter.com/ZwCCySFKvs

— Abbotsford Canucks (@abbycanucks) March 30, 2024

Ty Young

While there’s considerable competition in the Prince George Cougars’ crease, 2022 fifth-round pick Ty Young put up his best season yet, compiling a 23-11-0-2 record, a 2.79 goals-against average, a .903 save percentage and a shutout. The 6-foot-3, 184-pound netminder ranked eighth among all WHL goaltenders in goals-against average while helping Prince George complete its winningest season since moving to the Northern Capital and sit atop the Western Conference in the regular season. Young shined with a 32-save shutout against the Vancouver Giants in November and had six games where he made 35 saves or more, going 4-2-0-0 over that stretch. The Coaldale, Alta. product signed his three-year, entry-level deal with Vancouver in September of 2023.

🎥 SAVE OF THE NIGHT 🎥

Ty Young puts his name in the hat for Save of the Year!@RealCdnSS | @PGCougars | #Canucks | #SaveoftheNight pic.twitter.com/AFceoKZ6qA

— The WHL (@TheWHL) January 21, 2024